Winston Churchill's parrot is still alive and continues to this day to cuss Hitler out.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13832640_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-F----THE-NAZIS--SAYS-CHURCHILL-S-PARROT-name_page.html ^

[FredWolfe]

F*** THE NAZIS, SAYS CHURCHILL'S PARROT

Jan 19 2004

EXCLUSIVE

By Bill Borrows

SHE WAS at Winston Churchill's side during Britain's darkest hour. And now Charlie the parrot is 104 years old...and still cursing the Nazis.

Her favourite sayings were "F*** Hitler" and "F*** the Nazis". And even today, 39 years after the great man's death, she can still be coaxed into repeating them with that unmistakable Churchillian inflection.

Many an admiral or peer of the realm was shocked by the tirade from the bird's cage during crisis meetings with the PM.

But it always brought a smile to the war leader's face.

Churchill bought Charlie - giving him a boy's name despite the fact she was female - in 1937.

She took pride of place in a bizarre menagerie of pets including lambs, pigs, cattle, swans and, at one point, a leopard.

He immediately began to teach her to swear - particularly in company - and she is keeping up the tradition today.

The blue and gold macaw is believed to be Britain's oldest bird.

The title was previously thought to belong to 80-year-old Cokky the cockatoo.

But it can be proved Charlie is at least 104 and was born in the 19th century.

Peter Oram bought her for his pet shop after Churchill died in 1965. But he was forced to move her into his home after she kept swearing at children.

For the last 12 years, she has lived at Mr Oram's garden centre in Reigate, Surrey.

Centre worker Sylvia Martin said: "If truth be told, Charlie is looking a little scruffy but she is very popular with the public. We are all very attached to her."

James Humes, an expert on the late PM, said: "Churchill may no longer be with us but that spirit and those words of defiance and resolve continue."

Charlie's story is in this month's Jack Magazine, on sale Thursday

[FredWolfe]

I never knew birds could live that long. If that link doesnt work, try these:

[url]http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&edition=us&q=F***+THE+NAZIS%2C+SAYS+CHURCHILL%27S+PARROT+&btnG=Search+News[/url]

[url]http://www.megastar.co.uk/meganews/news/2004/01/19/sMEG01MTA3NDUxMDU0ODU.html[/url]

[ErnBatavia]

I herby predict at least four or five variations of that old "I thought you might be my kid" joke to hit this thread.

[ex-snook]

Might give more hope to Kerry.

[skeptoid]

I'd like to hear that one.

[fly_so_free]

"He immediately began to teach her to swear-particularly incompany-and she is keeping up the tradition to this day."

Winston Churchill-what a character. Wow- the bird is 104, that's amazing. Great story-BUMP.

[ellery]

Best story I've seen in quite a while - great find!

[BluSky]

"SHE WAS at Winston Churchill's side during Britain's darkest hour. And now Charlie the parrot is 104 years old...and still cursing the Nazis."

Quick! . . . ask the bird what Winston REALLY said and thought of Chamberlain . . .

[theophilusscribe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1061085/posts

[meowmeow]

Getting a parrot is a long term relationship. They outlast most people (learned this on Animal Planet).

[fly_so_free]

BUMP